Antarctic brew – world’s most expensive beer

A new beer from Perth-based microbrewery Nail Ale has claimed the title of ‘world’s most expensive beer’, with a single bottle of the beer, brewed from a chunk of melted antarctic ice, auctioned for $800 last night in support of anti-whaling group Sea Shepherds.

The limited edition beer, of which only thirty bottles were brewed, was created at the Nail Brewing headquarters at Edith Cowan University in Perth. Antarctic Nail Ale was based on the company’s Nail Ale, though brewer John Stallwood says it is slightly higher in alcohol and bitterness.

“Over 90% of beer is water, so the Antarctic Nail Ale could possibly be the world’s oldest and purest beer,” said Stallwood.

The ice used to brew the beer was brought back from the Sea Shepherds’ most recent trip to the Antarctic, and all profits from sale of the brew will go to the anti-whaling group.

The auction, held in Fremantle last night, featured addresses from Greens senator Rachel Siewert and Fremantle Mayor Brad Pettit, as well as Sea Shepherd Captain Paul Watson.

Previously, the record for world’s most expensive beer was held by Scottish brewery BrewDogs, for their $765 high-alcohol beer, a 12-bottle run of 55% ABV beer, served in a bottle wrapped in roadkill – a choice between a taxidermied grey squirrel or stoat.

“It’s great to sell the most expensive bottle of beer in the world, but it’s all about a good cause. It’s also good that a beer about saving the whales is now most expensive beer in the world, rather than high alcohol beer sold in animal carcasses,” said Stallwood of his icy brew.

At $900- a bottle it is far from ridiculous. The simple fact that beer is such an Australian icon, it just seems right for us to have the most expensive beer. It may never be opened and, if it is, it may be terrible to drink, (although not likely knowing the award winning quality of Nail Ale), but it was always going to be brewed in an effort to support the Sea Shepherd and as such this is a fantastic achievement. Congratulations to Nail Brewing, the Sea Shepherd, Edith Cowan University and all others who participated to make this happen.